Resilient wheel.



J. B. LYNCH. RESIIIIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1914.

1, 1 14,276. Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

2 SEEETS-8HEET 1.

M jo ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60 PHOTO-LITHJ. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. B. LYNCH.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1914. 1,1 14,276.

A TTORNE Y.

{ 'INVE TOR.

THE NORRIS PEII'ERS C0.. PHOTO-LITHIZ. WASHINGTON. D. C,

' [.TAIYLQEIS f.- LYNCH, or svnecusn, New; YORK;

nnsin nuir WHEEL. 1

Zo allwhom it may concern} I Be it known that I, JAMEsB. 'LYNGH,

' of Syracuse, in the county, of Onondaga, in the .Stateof New York5 have invented new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following, taken in "connection with the accompanying draw:

ings', is a full; clear, and enact description; y

This lnventlon relates to certam improve vInents 1n resilient vehicle wheels IIIVOlVlIi'g' the use of a pneumatic tube interposedbe-l tweenthe central huband aspoke-supportporting rim of the wheel.

and spoke-supporting v rim independently of the pneumatic tubeso as to relieve such a relation in case the pneumatic tube should become, deflated. Third. To assemble] the tube from excessive strains and wear. {SecondaTo provide "simple means for auto mat1cally maintaming the spoke-supporting rim and hub in approximately concentric various parts of the wheel' in such manner that the pneumatic tube and spokes may be easilyand quickly removed from theouter end of the wheel forrepairs or replacement when desired without disturbing the positive drive connection between the hub spoke-supporting rim, Fourth. To enable the brake drum to be easily and quickly applied to the wheel and to utilize such "brake drum as a part of the guiding meansfor the relative radial movement of the spoke- Y supporting 111 d h b 1 40 Other objects of more or less importance will be brought out in the following descrip i 1 guide blocks forming apart of the positive, drive connectionbetween the hub andspokef supportingyrim- Fig; 4 is a perspective view of the detachable hub." Fig. 5';is-jan In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a resilient wheel embodying the vari-" ous features of my lnvent on. Figs, 2 and 3 are perspective views showing respectively the universal guide plate .and one of the enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of

' Specification ofiLetteis Patent. 1 I

First. To provide Application filed January 12, 1914. Seria1No. 811,693;

Patented o ezaiemf a the central portion fthe WheelshowingJ more part cularly the driving connectionbe tween the 5 hub and spoke-supporting rim;

v 6 is a longitudinalsectional View taken I on line 6 -6, Fig. 5, showing the assembled' L rparts constituting the main features of my;

invention? 3 I v I Thswheel isfiadaptedmore particularly gforj'm'otor driven 'vel11cles, such as automobiles' and'the like and may be applied either I, to the rear or front axles, but for conven Eience "of illustratingthe wheel in relation to a brake drum, I have shown it as" applied 5 to a rearfdriving" axle and as coni sisting hub mounted on the axle, a a i espoke -fsupporting rim surrounding fthehub but spaced Jsome 7 distance apart 1' therefrom {and an interposed pneumatic itub'e which affords-a resilient connec ftion between the "hub -v and tire s1 1pp'orting I irim*asi.o B%"andjto'which the outer ends of the spokes are rigidly connected;

driven in tthe usual mannerlof motor vefihicles, it is 'keyed'by suitable keys.-4- to l Ifthe hub 'i1 to'transmit rotary motion thereto,'-theouter' endjofthe axle being ithreaded and engaged by a cap nut '.5

which' also engages theouter end of the, lhub toihold the'wheel against :endwisejdisplacement outwardly. Undenthese con-f ditions,- the inner v end" of the "hub chainbered out 1 and threaded internally for receiving aireduced externally threade'd hub of a ;brake'd'rum that'the hub and brake gdrum may, rotatetogeth'er with the shaft r 'A'-, .thus permittingthe brakedrum gto be used in connection" with the brake mechan1sm now in; common use on motor;

lvehicles,

; The perimeter of the i set-en off the ghub is preferablyan'gular orsquare in cross M n fwhich is preferably square, and. is provided sectioni for receiving a guide. plate 7',

lWitll a central square opening'fittin'g closely ,flupon "the adjacent square end of the huh I ifor'locking thetwo parts together and caus- 9 ing the guide plate 7 to rotate with said hub although it is evident that this plate" 6 o may' be otherwise secured to thehub without fdeparting from'the spiritof'my invention. l

,Theparticular advantage of squaringthe inner end of the hub and applying the guide plate -7 thereto in the manner described is that the two parts may be more conveniently locked together by simply slipping the plate over and upon the adjacent end which is also cylindrical for receiving and supporting a circular pneumatic tube -3, the outer end of the cylindrical portion of the hub being threaded externally and engaged by an internally threaded guide flange l l0= which is held in place against loosen ing by a lock nut 11 engaging the reduced outer threaded end of the hub as shown more clearly Fig. 6, said lock nut being also engaged by the cap nut. 5-- on the end of the shaft so as to form a dustand water-tight joint therewith.- i

The inner end of the sleeve -8 is enlarged to "form an annular flange orabutment. 12- to limit the inward movement offa tube-retaining ring or flange 13 whlch surrounds the lnner end of the sleeveto engage and hold the adjacent side of the g pneumatic tube against lateral or outward For a like purpose, a similar tlre-retalnlng ring -1l 1s 'slidably fitted displacement;

upon the outer end of the sleeve 8 to engage and hold the adjacent side of the pneumatic tube againstlateral or outward displacement, the' outer end of the sleeve being threaded externally and engaged by an internally threaded lock nut -15- which also serves as a means for tightening the clamplng rings -l3 and a 14:

against opposite sides of the inner portion of the pneumatic tube and at the same time enables the tube to be easily and quickly removed for repairs or replacement by a new one when desired by simply removing'the cap nut ,-5, the lock nut 11 and, guide ring 10 together with the adjacent guide plate on the spoke-supporting rim presently described. v X

In order that'the pneumatic tube may be inflated, I have provided it with an inwardly and, laterally projecting tube 16 normally. seatedin a recess 17, in the petachment to a pump or other inflating detube 16 is wholly within the threaded riphery of: the sleeve 8 and extending laterally to the outer end of the sleeve where it is provided with a valve -17- for atvice, not shown, it beingunderstood that the opening in the nut '.15 on the outer end of said sleeve so as not to interferewith the clamping sleeves 18 and 19 are held clearly in Fig. 6, while the remaining portions of the tubular sleeves are passed loosely through corresponding apertures in the iouter rim section.-19, thus permitting of the outer clampingring 1-9 and for groove in substantially the same plane as the tube for receiving the inner ends of the spokes C, said rim being preferably divided longitudinally midway between its wends where it rests upon the tube to form opposite spoke-clamping rings 18 and 19 the bases of which, resting upon the tire,vare spaced a slight distance apart to permit the clamping rims to be drawn up tightly against opposite faces of the spokes by means of clamping bolts -20 connecting said rings through or between the spokes to firmly hold the latter in operative posi ,tion and at the same time permitting them to beeasily and quickly removed by simply loosening the bolts 20 and withdrawing the outer clamping ring l9 in case one or more of-the spokes should become broken and require replacement with new ones. This feature of my invention is important in that it enables the rim or tire-supporting felly B- to-be taken oif at one side of the wheel and the spokes inserted thereinto and then replaced and the spokes clamped to the rim 2 in the manner described. I p In addition to the bolts 20, the spokeagainst relative circumferential movement by tubular sleeves'2larranged uniform distances apart circumferentially around the periphery of the pneumatic tube -9 and passed through registering aperturesin said sections 18 and -19-, the inner ends of the tubular sleeves being threaded externally for screw connection with the inner rim sections 18 as shown more said rimsections to be adjusted relatively to each other to firmly clampthe spokes in 5 place, said tubular sleeves being of slightly less length than the width of the spoke--supiporting rim 2 and terminate short of Tithe opposite faces thereof so as to permit, the use of suitable guide plates presently gdescribed.

The guideplate --22-, surrounding the outer end of the hub 1, is secured by bolts .23' to the corresponding outer face thispurpose the inner threaded ends of the bolts are engaged with threaded sockets in the adjacent ends of the tubular sleeves 21+. This guide plate extends inwardly alongtheouter side of the pneumatic tube,

3c,,g and partially across the inner .face of the guide ring-- against which the plate 22 is adapted to slide radially as the hub and spoke-supporting rim are moved radially relatively to each other,.the

central portion of theplate, v 22- *being provided with an, opening of. considerably greater-diameter than the external diameter 7 of the hub, so. 21-5130 allow this relatively radial movement, A similar but somewhat} thicker guide plate 2l issecured bybolts 25 to theopposite or'inner face of the spoke-supporting rim 2- and is provided with a series of, in this instance four, radial guide ways -26 consisting of radially elongated recesses spaced uniform distance apart circumferentially or atright angles to each other and also Jatright angles to the adjacent sides of therectangular plate .-7- previously described for receiving and-guiding radially movable blocks ,28. These blocks -28- are fitted with an easy sliding fit in their respective guide ways -26?- and are provided in their inner faces with 25 transverse grooves 29 for receiving cor 1 responding ribs -35- extending around the margin of the plate 7- on the adjacent face thereof so as to establish sliding interlocking connection between the plate and blocks 28.

"The bolts 25 by which the universal guide-plate 24@ is screwed to the inner. face of the spoke-supporting frame --9r are secured into threaded sockets in the adjacent ends of the sleeves -21, thereby firmly locking said universal guide-plate to the spoke-supporting rim. This guide-plate -24 together with the plate --7 and guide blocks -28 constitute a universal driving connection between the hub and spoke-supporting rim of the wheel, said universal driving connection'being positive and j at the, same time is capable of adjusting it-c self to varying relations between the hub and rim without subjecting the pneumatic tube to any driving or circumferential stance four, rubber cushions or buffers seated in the outer ends of 'the'recesses and resting against the end walls 31l thereof while their inner faces rest aga nst the outer ends of thecorrespond ng gu de permit a more efficient resilient action of blocks '28". These centering buffers -30- are preferably made fof comparatively soft rubber and-the central portions of'their .outenendsfiare preferably chambered at "70 32;- to;increase their resiliency and thus the pneumatic tube under normal conditions,

but in case the tube should become "deflated, the cushions 30 will serve;to maintain the hub and rimin approximately concentric relation or sufficiently so to enable the machine'to be brought to itswdestination under its own power'with perfect safety; It becomes apparent from this statement that it might be possible to utilize these're resilient supporting means for the spokesupporting rim to the exclusion. of the pneumatic'tube j f1 I,

In order that the universal driving con nection between the hub'and vspoke-supporting rim and also the pneumatic' tube may be so silient buffers or cushions 30 as the main protected'against the entranceof dust or other foreign matter, I haveq'provided a cover-plate,+83+secured to and across one face of the chamber jplate -24+ by suita c. I

able fastening means as screws 34rentering threaded" apertures in the adjacent serving also asca'guide'plate in radial slid ing engagement with the adjacent face of the brake drum and is providedwith a central opening sufficiently largenthan the outside diameter of thehub c1' to allow relative radial movementof thehub and spoke-supporting rim.

,It is now clear that the spoke-supporting f rim is guided by the plates 22 and --33 between the flanges 10 and brake drum 6 thereby holding the wheel against endwise or lateral movement and" causing itto runtrue and at the same time permitting relative radial movement between the hub and spoke-supporting rim un der the resilient action of the pneumatic tube and cushions -30 in the man ner previously explained. This relative radial movement of the hub and spoke-sup- I porting rim is permitted by the sliding of the guide blocks -28 along the guide ribs guide ways .-26 against the action of the buffers-3& and pneumatic tube" --3-,-

which, under normal conditions, serve to restore those partsinto concentric relation" forded by said tube and cushions. What I claim is: i f a A vehicle wheel comprising a hubhaving the outer surface of its inner end angular in cross section, a rectangular drivingv plate fitted upon said angular portion of the hub to rotate therewith and provided with guide I I flanges on each of its four sides, guide blocks slid'ably interlocked with "said flanges, a"

of the plate7 and also their respective 129 when the load is less thanthe resistance aff guide plate having radial guide Ways for In F VltIIGSS whereof I have hereunto set my said blocks, yielding buffersbetween the hand this 6th day ofJanuary, 1914:.

outer ends of the blocks and guide plate, a

spoke-supporting rim surrounding the'hub JAMES LYNCH and secured to said guide plate, and. a pneu- Witnesses:

matic tube interposed between the hub and H. E. CHASE,

rim. EVA E. GREENLEAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained .ior five cents each, by addressing the Cbmmissioner of Patents, I

Washington, I) q. 

